Landscape 

This landscape was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir with oil on canvas, and you can see the energetic brushwork right away. Consider the sheer labor involved in the production of paintings at this time. Raw materials had to be acquired and prepared. Canvas was stretched, sized, and primed. Pigments ground and mixed with oils, a time-consuming task often performed by workshop assistants. The very physicality of Renoir’s paint application becomes an essential part of the viewing experience. The marks are so open, so candid, that they give the impression of being dashed off in the heat of the moment. The texture and directionality of the brushstrokes create a sense of movement and vitality. Look at the way the colors blend and vibrate with each other. Ultimately, this work challenges us to consider the artistic process not just as a means to an end, but as a vital and expressive aspect of the artwork itself. It’s a testament to the power of materiality and making in shaping our experience of art.